way OT: asthma out of control
@mchsi.com Karen, Queen of Squishies
around the house too much, because I don't get enough oxygen, even on my
asthma meds. We need to buy an air filter or ionizer for the house, the
problem is somewhere in the main part of our living space. Does anyone have
any recommendations? Do any of you have one? Does it really clean the air
nicely, and make a big difference? I'll be researching and asking around.
I have no idea where to start, but I need to breathe. Oxygen is rather
vital, I'm finding out. All I want to do is sleep!
Karen, Queen of Squishies
Kate XXXXXX
out what you are allergic to. If it's house dust mites, get rid of as
many soft furnishings as you can, and all the carpets!
Big Sis finds that her air conditioning unit ( a stand alone, not fitted
to her flat) helps, so yes, some sort of air scrubbing filter may help.
So might a vacuum cleaner that has Hepa filters.
--
Kate XXXXXX R.C.T.Q Madame Chef des Trolls
Lady Catherine, Wardrobe Mistress of the Chocolate Buttons
http://www.katedicey.co.uk
Click on Kate's Pages and explore!
Jack Campin - bogus address
> around the house too much, because I don't get enough oxygen, even on my
> asthma meds. We need to buy an air filter or ionizer for the house, the
> problem is somewhere in the main part of our living space. Does anyone have
> any recommendations? Do any of you have one? Does it really clean the air
> nicely, and make a big difference?
They do virtually nothing.
You need to find out what the allergen is. The most likely are
- house dust mites (remove all the carpets you can, steam-clean any
furnishing fabrics you have left, turn off controlled central
heating or air conditioning so the mites die from extremes of
temperature)
- mould spores (deal with damp problems, which might not even be
in the house - got any piles of rotting vegetation in the garden?
look out for leaky drains, patches of mould in the flooring, damp
under the bath...)
- household chemicals (you don't need floral or pine scented anything,
get rid of all of them)
- formaldehyde (from MDF panels or insulating foams)
- solvents (smelly paint and varnish, car paraphernalia, plastic
stuff)
- house plant pollen or resin (the only common problem is weeping fig).
============== j-c ====== @ ====== purr . demon . co . uk ==============
Jack Campin: 11 Third St, Newtongrange EH22 4PU, Scotland | tel 0131 660 4760
<http://www.purr.demon.co.uk/jack/> for CD-ROMs and free | fax 0870 0554 975
stuff: Scottish music, food intolerance, & Mac logic fonts | mob 07800 739 557
Charlotte Hippen
in my furnace for the A/C. I don't know how much the furnace filter helps,
but I know the portable air filter does help. It doesn't help by leaps and
bounds mind you, but it does help. We keep it in our bedroom, and leave the
door shut so that I can sleep better, and I do. I don't think they would
work well on a larger scale unless you had one in every room type of thing
and that is just too expensive, and probably wouldn't help enough. It would
also depend on what your asthma is being triggered by as to whether it would
even help at all. If it were me I would get tested to see what it is that
is triggering the reaction so that I would know what actions to take (ie.
removing carpeting and other 'soft' furnishings, avoiding certain
situations/locations, etc). Your Dr. would be able to help you with what
types of actions to take to avoid/minimize triggering your asthma.
Hugs and prayers for you as you try to figure this out and regain control.
--
Charlotte
http://community.webshots.com/user/charh108
"Karen, Queen of Squishies" <hicall80 @ mchsi.com> wrote in message
news:MbVyi.70763$Fc.66265@attbi_s21...
Sherry Starr
that make them, but they really don't do anything for you. The allergen
filters might help a little. The filters for the vacuum cleaner are not
much better. I asked my allergist about all of them, and his reply was "If
you have money that you want to waste, go ahead and buy them." He said the
allergen filters might help slightly but not enough to justify the cost. He
said most of the benefits people get from those things is mainly
psychological, because they think it will help them. I also have asthma,
but don't have much trouble with it. I have had more problem this season
because we had so much spring rain, and the fungus, mold, ragweed, and all
of that is always high. Mine is not as bad as yours. I can use my inhaler,
and usually get by fine. I hate using it because it makes me climb the
walls, but it is better than feeling like you can't breathe. I agree with
the other replies that you need to find the cause of what is triggering the
asthma. Asthma is also an emotional disease. Attacks can be triggered by
stress also. I hope you get some relief soon. I hate the "I can't breathe"
feeling.
Sherry Starr
"Karen, Queen of Squishies" <hicall80 @ mchsi.com> wrote in message
news:MbVyi.70763$Fc.66265@attbi_s21...
@mchsi.com Karen, Queen of Squishies
the difference betweeen air filters, ionizers, and ozone machines. Do any
of you have experience with ozone machines? That's what I have been
borrowing from a friend, and is helping. But it's going on the fritz and we
need to buy something to help me survive until we are financially ready to
do the necessary remodeling around here. I'm looking for recommendations on
brands and such, sizes, etc.
Karen, Queen of Squishies
Bobbie Sews More
cleaners and started using a spray bottle of Water & vinegar to clean with.
Use 1/10 th vinegar and this is safe for wood furniture as well as counters.
It also helped when I vacuumed at least every other day---especially carpet,
but also the kitchen and wood floors.
At the time I worked with a state agency, and we used bleach to sterilize
dishes in the sink and also bathrooms and kitchen floors when we mopped. I
started doing the same at home.
We took up the carpet in our house---had wood floors underneath. I have
bathroom scatter rugs throughout the house during the winter to keep the
feet warm. They are washed at least every other week. I took down
curtains because of dust and use just toppers. I have blinds that I wash
down every other week, or at least every 3 weeks.
All this is hard to do with everything else going on and trying to dust
furniture when you don't really feel all that good. The Swifter and Pledge
dusters make this easier especially when they are damp---spray lightly with
water & vinegar.
A friend has the air cleaners around the house and says it helps a lot.
HTH Barbara in SC
"Karen, Queen of Squishies" wrote in message ...
denis...@aol.com
Get a perscription frm your doctor for an air cleaner. Even if the
pharmacy doesn't have one, you can still deduct the cost from your
taxes at the end of the year.
Check the square footage on anything you buy. The largest we've found
only covers about 400 sq ft. We got it at Costco for about $150 and
have it in ds's room. It really seems to help - in his room. We've
moved it into the living room a couple of times. It makes a bit of a
difference but since that room is large, it doesn't help completely.
I think the brand name on that one is "True Hepa Allergen Remover" by
Holmes. There may be a better one out there, that's just the one we
got. It works for us.
Check epinions.com. They have product reviews written by people who
actually own and use the products they are reviewing. Comes in really
handy.
If things are really bad, consider getting a portable oxygen system.
It might be bulky and cumbersome, but bulky and cumbersome is better
than unable to breath and blue. Breathing is kind of important.
Also, a nifty tank bag would be an interesting project. Think of all
the lovely fabric you have laying around just waiting for the perfect
project. If you can't figure it out, post the dimensions and make it
into a group-wide challenge!
Hang in there and keep breathing!
Tamra
Jack Campin - bogus address
>> if I move around the house too much, because I don't get enough
>> oxygen, even on my asthma meds.
> has shown me the difference betweeen air filters, ionizers, and
> ozone machines. Do any of you have experience with ozone machines?
Ozone is deadly toxic and violently irritant. It's one of the main
causes of asthma. Fortunately most "ozonizers" don't actually work.
(Laser printers and photocopiers *do* work - the ozone they produce
is a common cause of workplace sickness in offices).
Google "ozone hazards", there's a lot of information out there.
The first link you get from that points out a risk I hadn't thought
of before - ozone is so corrosive that it makes rubber and plastics
degrade, and continue to give off toxic gases even after the ozone
has gone.
@mchsi.com Karen, Queen of Squishies
These machines can be used to safely disinfect a home. Bleach is a deadly
toxin too, if used wrongly. I appreciate your caution, it has prompted me
to do my homework and make sure I approach this safely and with proper
caution.
Karen, Queen of Squishies
Tia Mary
wanted to let you know that you are not alone in the asthma control
area. While I am no where near as bad off as you, I have had asthma
related sinus migraines with horrible vertigo about every 2 weeks for
the last several months. I know it's the hot weather and all the
humidity but there's not a lot I can do about this other than sty
indoors and have Dh change the sir filters frequently.
I never had even a hint of asthma until I moved to Georgia. Since I
have traveled a lot and never had any problems with growing things, I
doubt that my allergies are triggered by plants. I'm almost positive
that mine is caused by mold. Growing up in LaLa Land and then living in
Lizard Land, I was never exposed to mold or mildew Within about 3
months of moving to Atlanta, I started to have symptoms.
Anyway, I'm sure that this whacky weather the whole country is
experiencing is likely also having an adverse effect on you.
{{{{Karen}}}} and hope you find *something* that gives you some relief.
As you say, oxygen *IS* more than just a bit important to your health
and well-being! CiaoMeow >^;;^<
PAX, Tia Mary >^;;^< (RCTQ Queen of Kitties)
Angels can't show their wings on earth but nothing was ever said about
their whiskers!
Visit my Photo albums at http://community.webshots.com/user/tiamary
--
邢 唷��
Debra
Seek medical help immediately!
You need an oxygen tank or machine. Not a filter, especially not an
ionizer. Most ionizers put out something (ozone, IIRC) that displaces
the oxygen in a room.
Debra in VA
See my quilts at
http://community.webshots.com/user/debplayshere
Sandy Ellison
Thinking to do him a favor, my in-laws gave my husband, aka Mr.Sneezy,
one of the ionizers (ionic breeze) from sharper image, about 5 yrs ago.
It left a funny smell in the room so he stopped using it
after a few days. Then we heard about this:
http://www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/ozonegen.html
and got rid of the machine. Just not worth the risk.
(S.Image has a newer version now, but I'm still not sold on the idea.)
I convinced him that more frequent use of the Swiffer dust rags was
a good thing, and they just fit his hand--imagine that! <g>
He opens the windows when he Swiffs, good time to air out the room
after weeks of running the a/c (a must in Tx.). W/ all the construction
going on around here (and a damn' gas well being sunk nearby)
there's lots of blowing dust & grass, another reason to run the a/c,
w/ it's very good, top-of-the-line filters.
Regular washing of the quilts & window coverings also cuts down on
the "floating particles" that affect breathing.
No asthma here, but severe grass allergies can make the poor guy
just miserable. And the bill for kleenex! lordy, it's better to run
the a/c and pay someone else to mow the grass! ;-)
Good luck, Dear Karen. Blue lips is not your color, hon!
R/Sandy--whose dear Mr.Sneezy recognizes that dust is not good for
those custom-made amplifiers, either ;-P
http://www.esdamps.com/
On 8/22/07 10:43 AM, in article
bogus-D721AE....@news.news.demon.net, "Jack Campin - bogus
Kay Lancaster
> the difference betweeen air filters, ionizers, and ozone machines. Do any
> of you have experience with ozone machines? That's what I have been
> borrowing from a friend, and is helping. But it's going on the fritz and we
Ozone is a very bad lung irritant...
http://www.ehponline.org/docs/1995/Suppl-2/koenig.html
http://www.ehponline.org/docs/1995/Suppl-2/koenig.html
unplug it and do yourself a favor.
Kay
@mchsi.com Karen, Queen of Squishies
these things all the time, and yet that's how they are marketed. I figured
it was running at a low enough dose, but hmmm..... I'm going to start
researching a good air purifier with a HEPA filter.
Karen, Queen of Squishies
simpleseven
wrote:
Karen,
My husband has had breathing problems for about seven years now. They
mis-diagnosed him as having Acute Chronic Asthma seven years ago. He
has trachial bronchial malaysia (collapsing of the airways.) He was
in ICU on life support eighteen times in five years and his longest
time in ICU was 10 days. We bought two of those expensive ionizers
for our house (didn't help), ripped out all carpets in our house
(didn't help), removed all curtains in our house (didn't help.) He
would have attacks at the hospital. He took breathing treatments (has
a machine at home...didn't help.) He has a machine that shakes the
crap out of his chest (helped very little.) They did allergy test on
him...found nothing. He took IV experimental drugs for over three
years that was very hard on his kidneys and liver...we are still not
sure if it helped. He has clubbed fingers due to lack of oxygen, his
short term memory wasn't very good for the longest time and he was
very fatigued all the time too. One of the top Doctors at another
hospital diagnosed him correctly and he had surgery to rebuild his
airway. This is the only thing that helped. I'm NOT saying that you
could have what he does, but maybe you should be seeing a
pulmonologist to be sure.
PLEASE GET MEDICAL HELP!!!!! THIS COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE!!!!
My In-laws have a filtered duct system in their house because my
father-in-laws wife has allergy problems and this has helped her in a
very big way...but it's also very expensive!
Launie, in Oregon
Hope you are breathing better soon.
Maureen Wozniak
(in article <MbVyi.70763$Fc.66265@attbi_s21>):
Karen, we have a couple (many) Ionic Breeze machines from Sharper Image.
They helped with my indoor allergies for a long time, but I've noticed lately
that I've just gotten more sensitive, because nothing seems to help anymore.
Course, David is in charge of maintenance and the filters might not be
cleaned or replaced often enough and I'm not sure that they are all turned on
all the time.
Maureen